Bludso's BBQ
Barbecue restaurant · Fairfax District ·
Texas-style BBQ, creative cocktails, and sports bar atmosphere
Texas-style BBQ, creative cocktails, and sports bar atmosphere
"For one of Southern California’s most flavorful Thanksgivings, James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Kevin Bludso has the holiday covered. Pre-order the smoked or fried turkey, a smoked ham macaroni and cheese, sweet potato mash, collard greens, and more. The barbecue spot will also offer pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie from the legendary 27th Street Bakery. Order by November 21 or until sold out; there are three locations to pick up from: Santa Monica, La Brea, and Van Nuys. Pick-ups are on Wednesday, November 26, or on Thanksgiving Day. Note: if purchasing the deep-fried turkey, pick it up on Thanksgiving Day." - Eater Staff
"I’ve always enjoyed this crowd-friendly spot for hanging out with friends and catching a ballgame, where founder Kevin Bludso’s Texas-style barbecue stays remarkably consistent with moderate smoke and high-quality meats. Beef ribs are probably the best overall cut, turkey offers a nice respite from beef, and smoked wings make a worthy appetizer." - Matthew Kang
"They’re serving quite possibly the best BBQ in LA (not exactly a ton of competition, we know), in a space that’s perfect for a first date, a birthday bash, and yelling at your favorite team on TV, obviously." - kat hong, james montgomery
"There’s a decent amount of BBQ places on this list and, in case you’re an alien in a host body, that’s because beer and BBQ taste really good together. But Bludso’s makes some especially great barbecue. Their La Brea location is big and modern and ideal for big groups that get bigger at the last second because your friends never commit to things in advance. They have plenty of rotating beer specials, plus Three Weavers and El Segundo Brewing are always on tap." - brant cox, brett keating
"Bludso’s sits firmly in our city’s pantheon of great barbecue. Originally started in Compton, this low-key smokehouse now resides in a spacious picnic-bench-filled space on La Brea in Hollywood (with a second location in Santa Monica). Aside from excellent smoked meats, it's become one of the neighborhood's most dependable group dinner spots and a fun place to watch a game. If you're with a lot of people (up to 15), their party trays come with prime brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, hot links, and a heap of sides for a reasonable per-person price. There are no clear misses on the menu, so order what sounds best, grab a beer off their excellent tap list, and watch whatever sports team is imploding on the TV." - brant cox, sylvio martins
